As a Harrah Senior Center board member and volunteer, Kathy Neff dreamed up the idea of combining her love of tea parties with unique clothes from the Senior Center Thrift Store to form a fundraising event for the senior center’s outreach program. On Saturday, May 13, the 6th annual Tea and Togs drew a crowd of all ages who share Neff’s passions.

Neff said the purpose of the event is to highlight thrift store finds and “show what you can find there” while raising much-needed funds for the outreach program at the center. She said she loves the Senior Center Thrift Store and loves teas and thought “what a fun thing it would be to do a fashion show for the thrift store. “

Senior Center Meals on Wheels and Volunteer Coordinator, Debbie Holcomb, said the outreach program does many things including helping people with utility bills, finding housing and much more.

“We do all kinds of things to help people in need. The money we make off this goes to help all people in (the community),” said Holcomb, who participated as a fashion model this year.

As guests seated themselves at festive tables, the afternoon began with musical numbers by the local Just for Fun Choir directed by Nancy New. Lunch featured traditional tea party fare including sandwiches made of curried egg salad and chutney, roast beef with horseradish and cheddar cheese, salmon salad, and cucumber and cream cheese; plus sweets in the form of sour cream scones, mini chocolate cupcakes, mini eclairs, coconut macaroons and lemon tea bread.

Next, the fashion show began with announcer and senior center board member, Virginia Jorge. All of the clothes modeled were collected from the Senior Center Thrift Store and worn by women ages 6 to 92. The outfits were grouped by themes such as “Suiting Up,” “Lady in Red,” “Skirting the Issue,” “The Luau,” and others. Guests cheered when the models walked up and back on the runway, stopping to wave along the way. For a “grand finale,” Senior Center Director Richard Baker walked the runway dressed in a Hawaiian grass skirt, flower lei and straw hat.

Two of the youngest models, Scarlet, 7, and Eva, 10, said they “think (the fashion show) is cool.” Eva has modeled for the last three years and said she loves it.

Aura Whittaker has been in the newspaper business for about a decade. She learned the craft from the ground up as a proof reader and photo editor. and eventually put her health and fitness background to good use in a wellness column. After a move to Mendocino in 2015, she began freelance reporting for The Willits News and stepped up as city editor in 2018.

Aura Whittaker has been in the newspaper business for about a decade. She learned the craft from the ground up as a proof reader and photo editor. and eventually put her health and fitness background to good use in a wellness column. After a move to Mendocino in 2015, she began freelance reporting for The Willits News and stepped up as city editor in 2018.